Report: U.S. life expectancy reaches record high

Report: U.S. life expectancy reaches record high
Posted by David W Freeman

(CBS/AP) Americans are living longer than ever, with life expectancy for a baby born in 2009 now reaching 78 years and two month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report on Wednesday.

In 2009, about 2.4 million people died in the U.S. - roughly 36,000 fewer deaths than the year before. Deaths fell for a range of causes, from heart disease to homicide, so experts don't believe there's one simple explanation for the rise in life expectancy. Better medical treatment, vaccination campaigns and public health measures against smoking are thought to be having an impact.

The 2009 report by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics is based on nearly all the death certificates for that year. A final report is due later this year.

More good news from the report: The infant mortality rate hit a record low of 6.42 deaths per 1,000 live births, a drop of nearly 3 percent from 2008.

But not everyone benefitted. While life expectancy for whites rose, it held steady for blacks. The infant mortality rate for black babies did not improve either.

As a result, the racial gap got wider. Whites already live about four years longer than blacks, and the margin grew by about two months.

The gap between the sexes also persisted. Overall male life expectancy is roughly 75 1/2 for females it's about 80 1/2.

Other highlights from the 2009 report:

Death rates fell for 10 of the 15 leading causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, accidents, Alzheimer's disease, homicide and influenza and pneumonia.

Suicide passed blood infections to become the 10th leading cause of death. Suicide rates did not change significantly, but the blood infection death rate dropped nearly 2 percent.

The influenza/pneumonia death rate dropped nearly 5 percent, even though 2009 was the year that the swine flu pandemic hit.

U.S. life expectancy has been rising since at least the 1940s, though some years it held steady and a few times it temporarily dipped.

So our Healthcare System is horrible, racist and too expensive, but we're still living longer than ever as a whole.

And whats killing us off is almost all either due to lifestyle or actions, or genetics/inheritables.

Uhh, we are doing better compared to our own historical statistics. But other countries are doing better than us even with this new data. I think there is at least 20 countries ahead of us in terms of life expectancy. Google it if you even care.

Your second comment is even more comical. lifestyle/actions, and genetics/inheritables account for most disease causes.

The idea that our life expectency is due to our healthcare system, not our culture and genetics, makes me lol.

Thast the kind of sillyness that gets pushed when people think "all people are the same, all people are equal".

Lol, no, we're not, actually. And this is one side effect of that.
.

No of course we are not the same. But how much different are we than say the France, Spain and the UK.

No one says life expectancy is due to our healthcare system, but it may be a factor.

The idea that our system is the best and we shouldnt try to improve it is even more laughable and the fact that almost every health measurement says that its not the best is all the reason i need to want to improve on it.

No of course we are not the same. But how much different are we than say the France, Spain and the UK.

"We"?

lol.

Oh Ken, the lols never end with you.

No one says life expectancy is due to our healthcare system, but it may be a factor.

"May be a factor".

Lol.

The idea that our system is the best and we shouldnt try to improve it is even more laughable and the fact that almost every health measurement says that its not the best is all the reason i need to want to improve on it.

No of course we are not the same. But how much different are we than say the France, Spain and the UK.

No one says life expectancy is due to our healthcare system, but it may be a factor.

The idea that our system is the best and we shouldnt try to improve it is even more laughable and the fact that almost every health measurement says that its not the best is all the reason i need to want to improve on it.

Diet is significantly different. Driving is significantly different. Gun ownership is significantly different. How much does accidents and diet impact life expectancy?

Diet is not significantly different in the UK.
Accidents and murder rates are not high enough to explain the differences either .
Sorry.

BTW there are other factors that are higher in other countries that you leave out. Alcoholism, infectious diseases, Gastric Cancer rates in Asia all are higher in other countries.

Bottom line, as good as you think our healthcare is in the USA it can be alot better. You may not care, but many of us do.

I don't think our health care is particularly good or bad. I do think it should be improved. I don't believe that political self interest is any more likely to give us a good outcome as personal self interest. I also believe there are many other factors besides health care that impact life expectancy.

I don't think our health care is particularly good or bad. I do think it should be improved. I don't believe that political self interest is any more likely to give us a good outcome as personal self interest. I also believe there are many other factors besides health care that impact life expectancy.

Of course there are many other factors more important. No one denies that.
But there are only so many factors that we can control. Health care delivery is one of them.

What "political self interest" are you talking about?
If you mean making policy based on the pharmaceutical and health insurance lobbiests, then thats problematic. If you mean creating fear by using the terms "death panels" and "socialized medicine" then thats also problematic.

Of course there are many other factors more important. No one denies that.
But there are only so many factors that we can control. Health care delivery is one of them.

What "political self interest" are you talking about?
If you mean making policy based on the pharmaceutical and health insurance lobbiests, then thats problematic. If you mean creating fear by using the terms "death panels" and "socialized medicine" then thats also problematic. What do you mean by "personal self interest"?

Right.......so your refering to that healthcare plan delivered by your president that was so good that he gave his union buddies waivers so that they didnt have to participate in it?? That one? I mean...because that wouldnt be considered "political self interest" as you call it....would it?

Of course there are many other factors more important. No one denies that.
But there are only so many factors that we can control. Health care delivery is one of them.

What "political self interest" are you talking about?
If you mean making policy based on the pharmaceutical and health insurance lobbiests, then thats problematic. If you mean creating fear by using the terms "death panels" and "socialized medicine" then thats also problematic.

What do you mean by "personal self interest"?

Political self interest is the reality of representative government. If you want a political solution through the government I'm afraid political self interst comes into play regardless of what side you're on or what result you personally might like. Presumably constituent welfare would give you a good result but constituents aren't equal or equally represented.

It is what it is you can make of it what you want. To wish for a brilliant political solution without acknowledging political interest is one of the huge failures of the left. In a democracy we don't have a benovalent dictator.

Personal self interest is Capitilism, many buyers, many sellers all operating in their personal self interest. The market will pick winners and losers to get the best result.

Right.......so your refering to that healthcare plan delivered by your president that was so good that he gave his union buddies waivers so that they didnt have to participate in it?? That one? I mean...because that wouldnt be considered "political self interest" as you call it....would it?

Comical....just plain comical.

No, his plan is awful.
I never said I was in favor of his plan. Ive always said im in favor of a "Public Option" which Obama campaigned on but caved in to special interests. Ive always been critical of that as well as many other things Obama has done wrong (ie-Afghanistan).

Political self interest is the reality of representative government. If you want a political solution through the government I'm afraid political self interst comes into play regardless of what side you're on or what result you personally might like. Presumably constituent welfare would give you a good result but constituents aren't equal or equally represented.

It is what it is you can make of it what you want. To wish for a brilliant political solution without acknowledging political interest is one of the huge failures of the left. In a democracy we don't have a benovalent dictator.

Personal self interest is Capitilism, many buyers, many sellers all operating in their personal self interest. The market will pick winners and losers to get the best result.

Are you familiar with the VA system? It works quite well. In terms of measurements of medical outcomes its superior to the private sector and much more financially efficient. Why? In part b/c they directly negotiate with the pharmaceutical companies for costs of drugs. Other factors that help- the best electronic medical records hands down and they limit unnecessary testing.